First National Bank, Dawson, PA (Charter 4673)

Needed: a contemporary postcard or photo of the bank.

First National Bank, Dawson, PA (Chartered 1891 - Open past 1935)

Town History

Dawson is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The population was 367 at the 2010 census, down from its peak of 956 in 1920.

Dawson is located in northern Fayette County on the north bank of the Youghiogheny River. Pennsylvania Route 819 passes through the center of town, crossing the Youghiogheny into the unincorporated community of Liberty on the other side. PA 819 leads northeast 6 miles to Scottdale and south 1 mile to Vanderbilt. The city of Connellsville is 5.5 miles to the southeast via PA 819 and PA 201. The historic Philip G. Cochran Memorial United Methodist Church, a gothic-style structure, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The land where Dawson was developed had belonged to John Smilie, who held multiple public offices in the government of Pennsylvania and was a member of Congress when he died in December 1812. The property remained in a trust as a part of Smilie's estate until his last child died in 1851 when the property was sold.

The "bottom land" where Dawson is situated was acquired by John Smilie's granddaughter, Sarah Huston Dawson, and her second husband, George Dawson.

The Smilie farm, except the river bottom, was sold to Stewart Strickler. The bottom land was sold to George Dawson, who used it for purposes of cultivation. The Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad was located through the tract, and upon the opening of the line Dawson's Station was established at this point. A post office was established at the same time.

The property passed, in the division of the Dawson estate, to Mrs. Alfred [Elizabeth Dawson] Howell, and in 1866 a town plat was laid out and surveyed by Martin Dickson for Mr. Howell.

Dawson had one National Bank chartered during the Bank Note Era, and it issued National Bank Notes.

Bank History

• Organized December 7, 1891
• Chartered December 29, 1891
• Bank was Open past 1935

In January 1915, the directors were M.M. Cochran, J.H. Price, A.C. Sherrard, Mrs. Sarah B. Cochran, N.A. Rist, R.D. Henry and Joseph Oglevee. The officers were M.M. Cochran, president; A.C. Sherrard and J.H. Price, vice presidents; R.D. Henry, cashier; S.J.I. Morningstar, Bookkeeper; and John C. Sherrard, assistant bookkeeper.

In January 1920, the stockholders re-elected the following directors: M.M. Cochran, Mrs. Sarah B. Cochran, John M. Core, A.C. Sherrard, J.H. Price, M.E. Strawn, and R.D. Henry. M.M. Cochran was re-elected president, A.C. Sherrard and J.H. Price, vice presidents; R.D. Henry, cashier; and S.J.I. Morningstar, assistant cashier.

In January 1930, the directors were M.M. Cochran, A.C. Sherrard, M.E. Strawn, George G. Cochran, Mrs. Sarah B. Cochran, R.D. Henry and John M. Core. The officers were M.M. Cochran, president; A.C. Sherrard and L.E. Strawn, vice presidents; R.D. Henry, cashier; and S.J.I. Morningstar, assistant cashier.

By 1953 the Second National Bank of Uniontown had bought most small town banks in Fayette County and formed the Gallatin National Bank, the largest bank in Fayette County. Gallatin National Bank was absorbed by Integra of Pennsylvania in 1991. Integra was bought by National City Bank of Ohio in 1995 and PNC bought National City in 2018 and closed the Dawson branch.

Official Bank Title(s)

1: The First National Bank of Dawson, PA

Bank Note Types Issued

1882 Brown Back $10 bank note with pen signatures of Jno. H Wurtz, Cashier and M.M. Cochran, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

1929 Type 1 $20 bank note with printed signatures of R.D. Henry, Cashier and M.M. Cochran, President. Courtesy of Heritage Auctions, www.ha.com

A total of $1,103,300 in National Bank Notes was issued by this bank between 1891 and 1935. This consisted of a total of 96,176 notes (83,544 large size and 12,632 small size notes).

This bank issued the following Types and Denominations of bank notes:

Series/Type	Sheet/Denoms	Serial#s	Sheet Comments
1882 Brown Back	4x5	1 - 1500
1882 Brown Back	3x10-20	1 - 4460
1882 Date Back	4x5	1 - 1650
1882 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 1420
1902 Date Back	3x10-20	1 - 2750
1902 Plain Back	3x10-20	2751 - 11856
1929 Type 1	6x10	1 - 1360
1929 Type 1	6x20	1 - 370
1929 Type 2	10	1 - 1754
1929 Type 2	20	1 - 498

Bank Presidents and Cashiers

First National Bank Presidents and Cashiers during the National Bank Note Era (1891 - 1936):

Presidents:

• James Cochran, 1892-1894
• Philip Galley Cochran, 1895-1898
• Mark Mordecai Cochran, 1899-1934
• George G. Cochran, 1935-1935

Cashiers:

• John H. Wurtz, 1892-1909
• Robb Deyarman Henry, 1910-1933
• Samuel James Irvin Morningstar, 1934-1935

Other Bank Note Signers

• James Henry Price, Vice President 1914 ... 1921 Signature
• There are currently no known Assistant Cashier bank note signers for this bank.

Wiki Links

• Pennsylvania Bank Note History
• General information on Dawson (Wikipedia)
• General information on Fayette County (Wikipedia)
• General information on Pennsylvania (Wikipedia)

Sources

• Dawson, PA, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawson,_Pennsylvania
• Don C. Kelly, National Bank Notes, A Guide with Prices. 6th Edition (Oxford, OH: The Paper Money Institute, 2008).
• Dean Oakes and John Hickman, Standard Catalog of National Bank Notes. 2nd Edition (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 1990).
• Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://bbdata.banknotehistory.com
• Dzara, Jerry, "Sand, Clay, Coal and National Banks," Paper Money, No. 323, p. 368-369.
• The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA, Wed., Jan. 15, 1915.
• The Daily Courier, Connellsville, PA, Wed., Jan. 14, 1920.
• The Morning Herald, Uniontown, PA, Wed., Jan. 15, 1930.